LOS ANGELES — Clayton Kershaw has always been human. He just hasn’t always looked like it on a pitcher’s mound.

Back injuries each of the past two seasons have been reminders that Kershaw, for all his achievements, is indeed human. And so has the postseason. Three of the past four years, the Dodgers’ season has ended with games started by Kershaw. In 18 postseason games (14 starts), he is a very human 4-7 with a 4.55 ERA and 1.16 WHIP.

A fifth consecutive postseason begins for the Dodgers on Friday night with Kershaw on the mound.

“I know what to expect, I guess, which is always a good thing,” Kershaw said Thursday when asked what he has learned from those past Octobers. “Other than that, I think every situation is different and every year is a little bit unique as far as who we face and how our team sizes up.

“But I’m thankful for the opportunity. … I don’t feel I take it for granted but definitely not trying to do that this year either.”

After his final regular-season start in Colorado last week, Kershaw said he did not feel any more excited or optimistic about the Dodgers’ chances in the postseason coming off a 104-win season, the franchise’s best since 1953.

“I probably feel the same,” he said. “I’m sure every year I feel like we’re going to win the World Series. This year is no different. We’ve had a better regular season than I’ve ever been a part of. We’ve got a lot of guys that can do a lot of different things, a lot of talent.

“Just a matter of winning 11 games now.”

Despite spending time on the DL with a back injury for the second consecutive year, Kershaw might win his fourth Cy Young after going 18-4 with a 2.31 ERA (the lowest in the National League). Standing out like a sore thumb on his stat line, however, are a career-high 23 home runs allowed – none in two starts against the Diamondbacks.

“The only thing I would say is he’s made more mistakes than he typically makes,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said, searching for an explanation. “Guys are swinging harder. They’re striking out more but when they make contact they slug more.

“Hitters hit mistakes. A home run is a reflection of a pitcher making a mistake.”

GAME FOUR

“Set in stone” is the new “absolutely not.”

Roberts confirmed Thursday that left-hander Alex Wood will start Game 4 (if the series goes that far). Left-hander Hyun-Jin Ryu will not be on the roster for the NLDS against the Diamondbacks.

“I think that as we go through matchups and looking at the roster, Alex is the clear choice to start Game 4,” Roberts said. “(That is) set in stone. If there is a Game 4, Alex Wood will start Game 4. Clayton won’t go on short rest.”

The Dodgers have made similar proclamations in the past only to turn to Kershaw on short rest once the series started. Not this time, Roberts insisted.

“Last year was a different year and I can’t speak to two years ago or years prior with Clayton,” Roberts said. “But we’ve assured him that he doesn’t need to prepare for going on short rest.”

Roberts did not rule out the possibility of turning to Kershaw on short rest at some point later in the postseason, however – “I can’t sit here and say that.”

Kershaw dismissed questions about a possible short-rest start this fall, saying he was focused only on Friday’s Game 1.

“The most important thing for me is to just focus on tomorrow,” he said. “Usually how that stuff happens is when Game 4 rolls around, things change. But it really sounds like that’s not going to happen this year. But I’ll worry about that when it happens. But for now, I’m just going to try to get them out tomorrow.”

Over the past four years, Kershaw has made five starts on short rest – including Game 2 of last years’ NLCS three days after pitching in relief in the deciding game of the NLDS in Washington. The Dodgers have won four of those five games and Kershaw has posted a 2.48 ERA with an 0.80 WHIP and 40 strikeouts in 32-2/3 innings. He has gone at least six innings each time.

ALSO

Ryu, Brandon McCarthy and Luis Avilan each threw to hitters in a simulated-game setting during Thursday’s workout. Avilan’s sore shoulder has improved but he has been ruled out for the NLDS with inflammation.

Bill Plunkett has covered everything from rodeo to Super Bowls to boxing (yeah, I was there the night Mike Tyson bit Evander Holyfield's ear off) during a career that started far too long ago to mention and eventually brought him to the OC some time last century (1999 actually). He has been covering Major League Baseball for the Orange County Register since 2003, spending time on both the Angels and Dodgers beats.

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